Hi all,
I'm new to the Mini scene ('07 MCS purchased in August, 40,000 miles), as stated in other posts, and would like to begin doing some basic maintenance. I used to do tuneups and oil changes on my old '77 Toyota Corolla for a few years, but my tools were stolen in '81 and I never got replacements.
I'd like to start doing the same type of work on my MCS: Oil change and other fluids, plugs, air filter element, but would gradually like to do brakes and other maintenance.
First of all, am I crazy? Second, could you folks suggest a basic tool kit (brands, types [I know, I know, get a plug socket) and sizes that you use and are happy with.
Your help is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

Hi and welcome...

Run to Sears and buy a set of ratchets and sockets. There is no need to for anything more expensive than that, but I wouldn't go any cheaper...lol 1/4 and 3/8" drive is plenty, all metric is a bonus. But, if they have a sale on a 100+ piece set that you can afford, go for it.

A set of ratcheting combination wrenches, again metric, Craftsman, or Gear Wrench. Fill in the holes with open stock. You want 8-19 mm, but can probably live without the 16, 18 and 19 for a while.

Buy good screwdrivers . I really like the Craftsman pro, but the std set is fine too.

To change the oil, you'll need an Allen wrench set or socket set. (Oil drain plug) and an oil filter socket. I just use a 1/2 drive socket(22 or23mm I can't remember) that I already had.

With that you should have no trouble with basic stuff.

Yes Snap-on or Matco tools are great, but since you aren't using them to make a living, there is no need to sell your soul to have them...lol

Good luck.


Oh! Buy a Bentley Repair Manual... It's not perfect, but you gotta have it.

 

Thanks for the information. It's much appreciated.

 

All the stuff you mentioned is easily done, especially the brakes. I'd invest in a good floor jack and jack stands and possibly ramps if you prefer those.

A torque wrench is nice also.

You can always add to your tool collection as needed. I also like craftsman. Harbor Freight is much cheaper and some people will swear by them for the kind if work you're doing.

 

Harbor Freight Tools... The best one time use Chinese junk you can buy...

The only thing I've ever bought there that didn't break the first time I used it is an Al floor jack. That thing just keeps on working, but everything else has been total crap.

 

You'll need a set of Torx screwdrivers and sockets. too. Get them at Sears. The price is reasonable and when you break one (you'll have to work at it) you can get a free replacement. You'll want to get a good light, too. I have an LED light from Sears. Christmas is coming, make a list.

 

filter canister uses a 27mm socket

and remember when choosing which: you can't do a brake job with ramps ... you need a jack and stands for that.

On my 7 I had enuf clearance to get a drain pan underneath and get to the plug with the car sitting on the ground .. no ramps or jack needed.

I've got some Harbor Freight tools in my cabinet - stuff I don't use often mostly - my larger torx sockets, some clamps. Folks seem to be hit or miss with their jacks - they either last a long time or die a rapid death . . . you don't need a big expensive jack and in truth a smaller jack may work better for you. Most auto-part stores have a small jack and a set of stands in a set

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...uestid=1029476

get decent sockets - the handles at a minimum. Sears/Craftsman or Lowes Kobalt are my preference. Not too $$ but smooth action.

first electric issue you're gonna want a simple volt/ohm meter - you can safly get a disposable one at HF ... you'll only be working with 12 volts!

You'll want plain and needle nose pliers ...

either a 'speed' lug wrench or a set of wheel lug impact sockets and a breaker bar. Safest bet for simple torque wrench is to stay away from the Harbor Freight ones and go to Sears and buy a simple 'beam' type

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-1-2-i...&blockType=G10

 

One of the things about mini's is they are not easy to jack up to work on. There are four jack pads and they need a jack pad tool to use them properly. Also up you shouldn't just put a regular jack stand under the plastic jack pads. What I use is Race Ramps wheel cribs and a floor jack with a jack pad adapter. If I need to have the car jacked up without the wheels on I use reverselogic stands that have the jack pad tool on the stand. I know you are asking about tools, but an easy way to get the car in the air, so you can work on it is as important.

 

Man, we can sure spend this guys money...lol

 

If putting the car on stands for additional work don't jack from the side block. Use the front subframe jacking point and you can lift the entire side then carefully lower the side on to jack stands. Been doing it this way for 11 years on my 2 S and for many others. Never broke a jacking block . . . . if worried, cut a block of wood to fit inside the block. Cheap and it works.

 

Just letting one know what is really involved if you want to work on your own car. If you can't get it in the air, you can't work on it. I know there is other ways of jacking up a mini, but I'm just pointing what I feel is a save way.

 

another +1 on the Craftsman suggestion. Wait for the holiday sales, their big sets are great value, plus lifetime warranty. (I have been using my Craftsman 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 sockets and end wrenches for 20 over years and haven't broken a single thing yet.)

I have to say that the air impact wrench I bought from Sears was a big disappointment - first one didn't work at all, 2nd one would at least turn the socket but wouldn't develop more than 50 lb-ft of torque in reverse. The guy in the tools dept said "oh yeah, we call that one the Woody Woodpecker because that's the noise it makes." And about as useful too. At least they didn't give me any hassle about returning it. But with the hand tools, IMO you can't go wrong.

Only things I have purchased from Harbor Freight are a set of jack stands and a hydraulic "racing" floor jack, both work fine.

I have the 6000 lb Rhino Ramps which fit under the chin spoiler on my MCS just fine and have proved handy for oil changes as well as working on the exhaust on my other car. Race Ramps look nice, but $$$.

Torque wrench: You'll need one for any proper work. I have one but I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on this: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...h-special.html

 

If working on your brakes, you may want to get the tool for compressing the pistons on the rear brakes. Can be done manually, but the tool would just make things a whole lot easier.

If you ever get to the point where you might be doing things like taking out the wheel liners, go ahead and spring for a bag of the different types of plastic fasteners that MINI uses. Yeah, not really a tool, but not having to worry about destroying one of those buggers is a nice but of stress relief.

 

Yeah, if I follow everyone's advice I will be maintaining "Jeeves" just to drive to debtors prison.

 

For basic stuff all you really need is a set of metric sockets, a set of metric wrenches, a few screwdrivers, some e-torx sockets, some torx sockets, and some allen sockets.

Craftsman or Husky is your best bet for your sockets/wrenches. Decent quality and easy to replace if broken. Although I've never broken anything of mine.

Get a 1/2" breaker bar from HF for $10. also pick up some jack stands and one of their $70 (on sale) aluminum racing jacks. Get the 2-year replacement plan for another $20 or whatever it is.

You need a torque wrench. Some people say the $12 HF one is fine. For wheel lugs it probably is. Don't buy a Craftsman. They break. Do some research and buy what you think is the best option in your budget. You don't need a $200 CDI/Snap-On torque wrench.

Any time you are thinking of buying a tool just search GarageJournal and you'll get thousands of opinions. I <3 that site. Using google it's soo easy. "site:garagejournal.com cheap allen sockets"

Also, lately I've been buying most of my specialty tools off Amazon. Waaaay cheaper than Sears and usually better quality and fast shipping. OTC makes a killer socket set that will cover you for all your e-torx and torx needs. A set of allen sockets can be had for cheap and since all you're going to use it for is the oil drain plug you don't need anything high-end.

The rear brake caliper tool you can buy from HF or "rent" from an autoparts store. Places like advance and autozone have a thing where you "buy" the tool and when you return it they refund you all your money. Great option for those rarely used specialty tools.

You'll save enough money on your first brake job to buy all those tools mentioned above.

 

Basic tools to carry in the car? Auto Club card and a cell phone. For the garage, the others have the right idea - metric sockets, a rachet handle, a breaker handle and a couple of extensions, metric wrenches, a set of good screwdrivers, a couple pair of pliers (needle-nose especially, diagonals, regular), a medium ball-peen hammer and a soft mallet, large and small ViceGrips, some duct tape, some zip ties. Also essential - an air supply in your garage - small compressors are cheap and are priceless for keeping tire pressures where they are supposed to be. Carburetor cleaner - don't let it splash in your eyes. A supply of mechanic's rags. Hydraulic floor jack and jack stands. I'd vote for Sears and its Craftsman brand as the most logical/likely place for all this stuff, except for the carb cleaner. For that, your FLAPS.

 

I didn't see them listed but I use them often on projects are metric allen wrenches and torx wrenches.

I purchased them as a sleeve of sockets at Lowes Home Improvement. They hang on my pegboard and I can quickly find which ones I need and see which ones are missing when I clean up. Here is what I am talking about http://www.lowes.com/pd_338624-22328...set&facetInfo=
same with the hex (allen)

 

A couple years ago, I would agreed with you 100%....but their HAND tools are now leaps and bounds above what they once offered....now most of it has lifetime warranty's!! Some parts are still in the "lower quality" group...but they are usually easy to spot. while you do get what you pay for, I'm pretty sure most of the savings is from lower markups....
And besides....
With so many SEARS/Kmart's getting shut down....not sure a "lifetime" warrenty on an item bought at a company on it deathbed is worth an extra $$.

 

Well, I bought a set of impact adapters, (broke the first time I used them), exhaust pipe expander ( broke first time), 1/2" breaker bar, ( broke it...) no more for me.

If sears goes out of business, I might go the Mac, Matco, or Snap-on route, but at this point in my life, I've pretty much got all the hand tools I'll ever need...lol

 

Like others I have been using craftsman for years. My first tools were given to me as a child by my father after I got into his snapons and left them out in the rain......I will still buy them until they break or go away. Kobalt, etc etc are good too, I just prefer craftsman because they have always worked.

Now......torque wrenches......that is another story. My advice...get the best you can afford. We torque things for a reason...too little it comes loose, too much it stretches or worse snaps off. Worst torque I had to do.....75ft lbs going into my classic BMW motorcycles crank when I did the rear main seal. I was sweating the tighter it got...the click was a godsend. What do I use? Snapon. I got one used wrench for $60, a Brutis bar for $150 and a metric Torque-o-meter for $45. All snapon, all good quality. And all taken care of.

Got another story on the torque wrench end. Used to use an HF wrench on my lugs on the BMW.....does not take more than once with lugs letting go and a tire almost coming off to second guess a tool.

 

that's why I say skip a 'cheap' clicker

buy an old school beam type if you are an occasional user. Inexpensive and accurate!

 

A Craftsman "DigiTork" was the first tool I ever bought for the MINI, its still working. I also I like the way it works, its easy to set the right torque (numbers show up in a window) and the click is almost foolproof.

 

I have a craftsman torque wrench...but the numbers wore if...I did work though. The beam type was my first...but was always difficult to use as the measure varied depending on how you looked at it. BUT......it is better than nothing....AND cheap

 

I did some work on a neighbors Miami Vice McBurnie vette/Ferrari . He paid me with a flex head Snap-On 1/2" torque wrench he inherited from his dad... Nice tool...lol

 

SK or Snap-on are very good quality tools. I have all SK.